Support mechanism for an open roof assembly in a vehicle roof

Abstract

A support mechanism for an open roof assembly, the open roof assembly including a movable panel, the support mechanism including at least one of a front flexible portion and a rear flexible portion. The guide assembly of the roof assembly includes an elongated guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction, a front mechanism slidably arranged in the guide rail, and a rear mechanism arranged in the guide rail. The front mechanism and the rear mechanism are provided with means for providing relatively high mechanism stiffness, while at least one of the front flexible portion and the rear flexible portion has a relatively low bending stiffness in a width direction and a relatively low rotational stiffness in a corresponding main direction, so that an orientation deviation between the panel support assembly and the guide assembly causes a rotational deformation in at least one of the corresponding flexible portions that is greater than a rotational deformation in the corresponding mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a support mechanism for an open roof assembly for use in a vehicle roof, and in particular to a support mechanism for supporting a movable panel, wherein the movable panel is configured for closing an opening in the vehicle roof. Background Art

[0002] Open roof assemblies for use in vehicle roofs are well known. For example, a glass sheet-like closure member can be movably positioned over an opening in the vehicle roof. The closure member can be tilted to provide an inclined position suitable, for example, for ventilation purposes, wherein a rear edge portion of the closure member is tilted from the plane of the vehicle roof. From this inclined position, the closure member can be slid over another component of the vehicle roof, thereby exposing the roof opening.

[0003] Many types of mechanisms are known for providing the above-described movement of the closure member. In a first mechanism, a rear mechanism is configured to initially tilt the rear edge portion and slide with the closure member, thereby also supporting the rear edge portion of the closure member as the closure member is slid open and positioned over another component of the vehicle roof. In a second mechanism, the rear mechanism is configured to tilt the rear edge portion, after which the rear mechanism remains in position and the closure member slides relative to the rear mechanism while sliding over another component of the vehicle roof.

[0004] The open roof assembly is typically manufactured separately on an open roof frame and subsequently mounted on the vehicle body during vehicle manufacture. Due to, for example, manufacturing tolerances, the support mechanism may be tilted relative to its intended orientation relative to the closure member when mounted on the vehicle body. While such tilted mounting can be easily compensated for by the design of the mechanism for the first type of open roof assembly described above, in the second type of open roof assembly, the tilted mounting and orientation can easily lead to excessive tension in many components of the mechanism, and thus may cause the mechanism to no longer move smoothly, resulting in, for example, heavy operation or the generation of undesirable noise. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a support mechanism for an open roof assembly of the second type mentioned above, which support mechanism is less sensitive to the inclined orientation relative to the closing member.

[0006] This object is achieved in a support mechanism according to claim 1. The support mechanism is configured for use in an open roof assembly in a vehicle roof, wherein the vehicle roof extends in a roof plane. The roof plane extends in a longitudinal direction and in a width direction, the width direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The open roof assembly includes a movable panel for closing an opening in the vehicle roof. The support mechanism according to the present invention includes a panel support assembly and a guide assembly. The panel support assembly includes a panel mounting portion; a front support portion fixedly coupled to the panel mounting portion, the front support portion including a front coupling portion; and a rear support portion slidably coupled to the panel mounting portion, the rear support portion including a rear coupling portion. The guide assembly includes an elongated guide rail extending in the longitudinal direction; a front mechanism slidably disposed in the guide rail and including a front hinge, the front coupling portion being coupled to the front hinge; and a rear mechanism disposed in the guide rail and including a rear hinge, the rear coupling portion being coupled to the rear hinge. The front mechanism and the rear mechanism are provided with means for providing relatively high mechanism rigidity. The panel support assembly includes at least one flexible portion selected from a front flexible portion and a rear flexible portion. The front flexible portion is included in the front support portion and extends along a front main direction, the main direction extending from the front coupling portion to the panel mounting portion, and the rear flexible portion is included in the rear support portion and extends along a rear main direction, the rear main direction extending from the rear coupling portion to the panel mounting portion. The flexible portions have relatively low bending stiffness along the width direction and relatively low rotational stiffness along the corresponding main directions, so that an orientation deviation between the panel support assembly and the guide assembly causes a rotational deformation in at least one of the corresponding flexible portions that is greater than a rotational deformation in the corresponding mechanism.

[0007] The mechanism according to the present invention is provided with a flexible portion between at least one of the front mechanism and the rear mechanism on the one hand and the panel mounting portion on the other hand. The panel mounting portion is configured to be coupled to the enclosing member. The enclosing member is generally a rigid element and cannot be deformed. The front mechanism and the rear mechanism are designed and configured to move and therefore inevitably have the ability to deform. However, in view of smooth operation, deformation of such a mechanism is undesirable. Therefore, according to the present invention, a flexible portion is provided between at least one of the front mechanism and the rear mechanism and the panel mounting portion so that the flexible portion deforms instead of at least one of the mechanisms.

[0008] In order to ensure adequate stability, the flexibility is limited with respect to certain directions. In particular, the stability in a direction perpendicular to the roof plane should be sufficient to support the closure member under all relevant conditions. The flexibility in the width direction can be increased, that is, the stiffness can be appropriately selected to be relatively low in order to accommodate orientation deviations between the closure member and the guide assembly. Similarly, the rotational stiffness in directions parallel to the extension direction of the flexible portion (that is, the corresponding main directions as described above) can also be selected to be relatively low. Appropriate flexibility in these directions allows for a suitable reduction of tension in the corresponding mechanism and deformation of the corresponding mechanism.

[0009] It should be noted that, as used herein, regardless of the meaning of "relatively low" and "relatively high", a relatively low stiffness at least has a stiffness that is lower than a relatively high stiffness. Said another way, the stiffness in a particular direction or for a particular element should be considered relative to the stiffness in another direction or for another element. In other words, a lower stiffness is intended to mean that the stiffness is lower than another stiffness. A lower stiffness is provided compared to another stiffness so that when a force is applied, deformation in the support mechanism occurs more at the location of the lower stiffness and less at the location of the other stiffness. In particular, the stiffness difference between the lower stiffness and the other stiffness is substantial so that any deformation occurs primarily at the location of the lower stiffness, although inevitably, some small deformation also occurs at the location of the other stiffness, where the smaller deformation is intended to mean deformation that does not affect the smooth operation of the support mechanism. As used herein, lower stiffness does not refer to any actual absolute value of stiffness.

[0010] A potential further advantage of the flexible portion relates to crash safety. In the event of a vehicle collision, large inertial forces are applied to the movable panel. For example, the inertial forces may be as high as 50G, i.e. 50 times the force of gravity. For safety reasons, it is preferred - and usually required - that the movable panel cannot become detached even under such high forces. Furthermore, the flexible portion, preferably the front flexible portion, in any of the mechanisms has such a stiffness that the flexible portion deforms under the action of the increased inertial forces before any component of the open roof assembly and in particular any component of the support mechanism breaks. Moreover, by providing the flexible portion as a part having a lower stiffness than other parts or mechanisms, it is possible on the one hand to design a method for absorbing the collision forces in a predetermined manner and on the other hand to provide increased stiffness in predetermined components without compromising the overall crash safety.

[0011] In one embodiment of the support mechanism, the front mechanism includes a first sliding shoe and a second sliding shoe, and the guide rail includes a first guide channel and a second guide channel, the second guide channel being opposite to the first guide channel. The first sliding shoe is slidably arranged in the first guide channel and the second sliding shoe is slidably arranged in the second guide channel. Therefore, the stability and appropriate overall rigidity of the front mechanism can be provided. Generally, within the conceptual intent of the present invention, the ratio of the rigidity of the front mechanism to the rigidity of the flexible part should be designed so that the deformation caused by the orientation deviation of the guide assembly is mainly absorbed in the front flexible part. Of course, with necessary changes, this also applies to the rear mechanism and the rear flexible part.

[0012] In one embodiment of the support mechanism, the front hinge comprises a U-shaped portion comprising a base and two legs extending from the base, wherein the shaft is supported by the two legs. Furthermore, the front coupling portion comprises a through hole. The front coupling portion is at least partially disposed between the two legs, and the shaft is disposed through the through hole for hingedly supporting the panel support assembly. Thus, a simple and stable arrangement of the front mechanism and its coupling to the front coupling portion is provided.

[0013] In certain embodiments, the panel mounting portion, the front flexible portion, and the front coupling portion are formed from a single component. The single component comprises a plate-like base member, wherein the plane of the plate-like base member extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the roof. The panel mounting portion includes means for increasing bending stiffness along the width direction, and the front flexible portion does not include means for increasing bending stiffness along the width direction. Such means for increasing bending stiffness along the width direction may be, for example, a flange, for example, provided by bending an edge portion of the plate-like base member. Other means or structures for increasing stiffness include, for example, additional ribs, increased dimensions (e.g., increased thickness), and selected materials. Other measures for increasing stiffness may also be considered by those skilled in the art, and such measures will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Note that the use of these means is not limited to use in this specific embodiment. These means are also applicable to any other embodiment. Furthermore, if the panel mounting portion, the front flexible portion, and the front coupling portion are not formed from a single component, the above-mentioned means may also include adding and mechanically coupling additional elements, for example, adding an element that increases the width (or a portion of the width) of the panel mounting portion relative to the width of the front flexible portion or the front coupling portion. Similarly, to achieve relatively low or low stiffness, stiffness-reducing measures can also be employed. Such stiffness-reducing measures are also well known to those skilled in the art and include, for example, reducing dimensions, providing grooves, or providing through-holes. To adjust stiffness in different directions at a single location, both stiffness-increasing and stiffness-reducing measures can be applied at that location.

[0014] In one embodiment, the rear mechanism includes a first curved track and a second curved track, and a first rod including a first pin and a second pin, wherein the first pin is arranged in the first curved track and guided through the first curved track, and the second pin is arranged in the second curved track and guided through the second curved track, and the first curved track and the second curved track are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the roof plane. Therefore, by appropriately moving the first rod along the first and second curved tracks, the orientation of the first rod can be easily and appropriately controlled. In particular, the first rod can be directly connected to the rear hinge so that the first rod can rotate upward when moving along the curved tracks to tilt the rear edge portion of the closure member.

[0015] In one embodiment, the rear support portion further includes a sliding pad for slidably supporting the panel mounting portion. In this embodiment, the sliding pad is coupled to the rear flexible portion via a support hinge, wherein a second rod extends between the support hinge and the rear hinge. The distance between the support hinge and the rear hinge (i.e., the length of the flexible portion) can be selected to provide sufficiently low bending stiffness in the width direction and sufficiently low rotational stiffness in the rear main direction.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the second rod extends from the support hinge to the rear hinge and further to the guide rail. A rear shoe is hingedly disposed on the second rod and is guideably supported in a guide channel of the guide rail. The rear hinge is directly connected to the second rod at a location between the support hinge and the rear shoe, wherein the second rod includes the rear flexible portion and the rear coupling portion. The rear flexible portion extends from the support hinge to the rear hinge, and the rear coupling portion extends from the rear hinge to the rear shoe.

[0017] In an embodiment of the support mechanism according to the present invention, the guide member comprises two substantially parallel walls extending substantially perpendicular to the roof plane, and wherein the rear mechanism is coupled to only a single one of the parallel walls. Thus, space can be reserved at the rear mechanism, thereby allowing space to be provided for the front mechanism so that the front mechanism can slide further rearward, thereby providing a larger opening in the open state.

[0018] In one embodiment, the front flexible portion is formed as an elongated element and includes a thinned portion of the elongated element. In another embodiment, the front flexible portion is formed as an elongated element and includes a through hole extending through the elongated element. Thus, reduced stiffness can be provided by omitting reinforcing elements, but reduced stiffness can also be provided by thinning or by providing grooves or through holes in the element.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the front mechanism includes parallel structures extending between the front hinge and the guide rail and including at least two mechanical couplings between the front hinge and the guide rail. Furthermore, the front flexible portion includes a single mechanical coupling portion providing a single mechanical coupling between the panel mounting portion and the front hinge.

[0020] In a particular embodiment, the first mechanical coupling comprises a first sliding shoe and the second mechanical coupling comprises a second sliding shoe, and the guide rail comprises a first guide channel and a second guide channel. The first sliding shoe is movably disposed in the first guide channel, and the second sliding shoe is movably disposed in the second guide channel. More particularly, the first guide channel may be disposed in a first wall of the guide rail, and the second guide channel may be disposed in a second wall of the guide rail, wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall.

[0021] In one embodiment, the rear mechanism includes parallel features extending between the rear hinge and the guide rail, wherein the parallel features include at least two mechanical couplings between the rear hinge and the guide rail. Further, the rear flexible portion includes a single mechanical coupling portion providing a single mechanical coupling between the panel mounting portion and the rear hinge.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the rear mechanism includes a first rear rod and a second rear rod. The first rear rod is movably supported in the guide rail, and the second rear rod is movably supported in the guide rail. Furthermore, the first rear rod and the second rear rod are coupled via the rear hinge. The first rear rod extends beyond the rear hinge into the rear flexible portion.

[0023] Providing a parallel configuration in the corresponding mechanism increases the overall rigidity of the mechanism configuration between the guide rail and the corresponding hinge. On the other hand, in a single mechanical coupling portion of the flexible portion, a single coupling element can be easily designed to have a desired rigidity with different degrees of freedom. Therefore, according to the present invention, at least the rigidity in the width direction and the rotational rigidity about the length direction of the single coupling element forming the flexible portion can be easily made relatively low compared to the (rotational) rigidity of the corresponding mechanism.

[0024] As mentioned above, parallel configurations can increase stiffness beyond the element stiffness. However, it is practically impossible to calculate a system stiffness and compare such a system stiffness with the stiffness of a single unit. Therefore, when used in this context, the stiffness of the flexible portion is difficult to define parametrically compared to the stiffness of the corresponding mechanism. In order to identify the relative stiffness of different components and mechanisms, the effective deformation of the different components and mechanisms relative to each other can be considered. For example, computer simulations of the deformation and rotation caused by a rotating guide rail can be used to identify the deformation in individual components and the rotational state of the individual components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given below. However, it should be understood that while indicating embodiments of the present invention, the detailed description and specific examples are given by way of illustration only, as various changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, among which:

[0026] Figure 1A A perspective view showing a vehicle roof with an open roof assembly;

[0027] Figure 1B Show Figure 1A Exploded view of the open roof assembly;

[0028] Figures 2A-2D Shows the opening operation of the prior art open roof assembly;

[0029] Figures 3A-3C Schematically illustrates the inventive concept of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4A A side view showing an embodiment of a front mechanism according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4B Show the basis Figure 4A a side view of a portion of an embodiment of a front mechanism;

[0032] Figure 5A A side view showing an embodiment of a rear mechanism according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5B Show the basis Figure 5A a side view of a portion of an embodiment of a rear mechanism;

[0034] Figure 6A Show the basis Figure 4A a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of a front mechanism;

[0035] Figure 6B Show Figure 6A a perspective view of a portion of , which shows a local rotational deformation in the front mechanism; and

[0036] Figure 7 A graph showing simulation results of a vehicle collision is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used throughout the several views to identify the same or similar elements.

[0038] FIG1 shows a vehicle roof 1 having an open roof assembly disposed therein. The open roof assembly includes a movable panel 2a and a fixed panel 2b. The movable panel 2a is also referred to as a closure member because it is movable over a first roof opening 3a to open and close the first roof opening 3a. A wind deflector 4 is disposed in front of the first roof opening 3a.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the movable panel 2a can be in a closed position, which is a position in which the movable panel 2a is arranged above the first roof opening 3a and closes the first roof opening 3a and is therefore generally arranged in the plane of the vehicle roof 1. Further, the movable panel 2a can be in an inclined position, which is a position in which the rear end RE of the movable panel 2a is raised compared to the closed position, while the front end FE of the movable panel 2a is still in the closed position. Further, the movable panel 2a can be in an open position, which is a position in which the movable panel 2a slides open and the first roof opening 3a is partially or completely exposed.

[0040] It should be noted that the vehicle roof 1 shown corresponds to a passenger car. However, the invention is not limited to passenger cars. Any other kind of vehicle that can be provided with a movable panel is also contemplated.

[0041] Figure 1B Shown as Figure 1A The same vehicle roof with panels 2a and 2b is shown in FIG. In particular, although Figure 1A The open roof assembly is shown in the open position, but Figure 1B is an exploded view of the open roof assembly in the closed position. Figure 1B In this exploded view of the , the presence of a second roof opening 3b is shown. The first and second roof openings 3a, 3b are provided in a frame 5 of the open roof assembly. An edge 5a of the frame 5 defines the first roof opening 3a.

[0042] The second roof opening 3b is arranged below the fixed panel 2b so that light can enter the vehicle interior space through the fixed panel 2b. It is assumed that the fixed panel 2b is a glass panel or a similar transparent panel, for example, made of plastic material or any other suitable material. The second roof opening 3b and the transparent or translucent fixed panel 2b are optional and can be omitted in another embodiment of the open roof assembly.

[0043] The wind deflector 4 is typically a flexible material, such as a woven or non-woven fabric with through holes arranged therein, or a mesh or net. The flexible material is supported by a support structure 4a (e.g., a rod-like or tubular structure), which is directly or indirectly hingedly connected to the frame 5 at a hinge 4b.

[0044] The wind deflector 4 is arranged in front of the first roof opening 3a and accommodates airflow when the movable panel 2a is in the open position. In its raised position, the wind deflector 4 reduces inconvenient noise caused by airflow during driving. When the movable panel 2a is in the closed position or the tilted position, the wind deflector 4 is held downwardly below the front end FE of the movable panel 2a.

[0045] Typically, when the movable panel 2a slides to the open position, the wind deflector 4 is raised by the spring force, and when the movable panel 2a slides back into its closed position, the wind deflector 4 is pushed downward by the movable panel 2a. Figure 1A In FIG, the movable panel 2a is shown in the open position and the wind deflector 4 is shown in the raised position. Figure 1B In FIG. 1 , the movable panel 2 a is shown in a closed position and the wind deflector 4 is correspondingly shown in a position in which it is held downwards.

[0046] Figure 1B Further shown is a drive assembly having a first guide assembly 6a, a second guide assembly 6b, a first drive cable 7, and a second drive cable 8. The first and second guide assemblies 6a, 6b are arranged on respective side ends SE of the movable panel 2a and may each include a guide and a mechanism. The guide is coupled to the frame 5, while the mechanism includes movable components and is slidably movable within the guide. The first and second drive cables 7, 8 are disposed between the mechanisms of the respective guide assemblies 6a, 6b and a drive motor 9.

[0047] The drive cables 7 and 8 connect the drive motors 9 to the mechanisms of the corresponding guide assemblies 6a and 6b so that when the drive motors 9 are operated, the mechanisms begin to move. In particular, the core of the drive cables 7 and 8 is moved by the drive motors 9 to push or pull the mechanisms of the corresponding guides 6a and 6b. Such drive assemblies are well known in the art and are therefore not further explained herein. However, any other suitable drive assembly may also be adopted without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, in a particular embodiment, the drive motors may be operatively arranged between the corresponding guides and the corresponding mechanisms of the guide assemblies 6a and 6b, and in such an embodiment, the drive assembly may be completely omitted.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the guide assemblies 6a, 6b can start moving by raising the rear end RE of the movable panel 2a, thereby placing the movable panel 2a in a tilted position. Then, from the tilted position, the guide assemblies 6a, 6b can start sliding to place the movable panel 2a in an open position. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, in another embodiment, the movable panel 2a can be moved to the tilted position by raising the rear end RE, and the open position can be reached by first lowering the rear end RE and then sliding the movable panel 2a under the fixed panel 2b or under any other structure or element arranged behind the rear end RE of the movable panel 2a. In another exemplary embodiment, the movable panel 2a can only be movable between a closed position and a tilted position or between a closed position and an open position.

[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the drive motor 9 is mounted near or below the front end FE of the movable panel 2a at a recess 10. In another embodiment, the drive motor 9 may be positioned at any other suitable location or orientation. For example, the drive motor 9 may be arranged near or below the rear end RE of the movable panel 2a or below the fixed panel 2b.

[0050] The control unit 11 is shown schematically and is operatively coupled to the drive motor 9. The control unit 11 can be any type of processing unit, as is well known to those skilled in the art: a software-controlled processing unit or a dedicated processing unit, such as an ASIC. The control unit 11 can be a standalone control unit, or it can be operatively coupled to another control unit, such as a multi-purpose, general-purpose vehicle control unit. In yet another embodiment, the control unit 11 can be embedded in or be part of such a general-purpose vehicle control unit. In essence, the control unit 11 can be implemented by any control unit that is suitable, capable, and configured to operate the drive motor 9 and, therefore, the movable roof assembly.

[0051] Figure 2A Schematically shows the Figure 1A and 1B. On the guide assembly 6, a closing member 2 is provided. The closing member 2 may be a glass panel or any other suitable panel as described above. The guide assembly 6 comprises a guide rail 61 which provides at least one guide channel for guiding one or more elements of a mechanism of the guide assembly 6. In the embodiment shown, the guide assembly 6 comprises a front mechanism 63 and a rear mechanism 64. Both the mechanisms 63, 64 are connected to and support the mounting element 62. The guide assembly 6 further comprises a locking mechanism 65. The locking mechanism 65 is connected to the rear mechanism 64 via an elongated coupling element (not shown), as is known from the prior art. When the coupling element is moved towards the rear mechanism 64, the rear mechanism 64 is operated, as in Figures 2B-2D The examples shown in the following are relative to Figures 2B-2D described.

[0052] The closure member 2 is attached to the mounting element 62. When the front mechanism 63 and / or the rear mechanism 64 are operated, the mounting element 62 moves along a predetermined trajectory. In the illustrated embodiment, the front mechanism 63 and the rear mechanism 64 are each mechanically designed to provide such a predetermined trajectory. In another suitable embodiment, the trajectory can be provided in any other suitable manner. For example, a plurality of motors can be used, and a control unit can be configured to control the plurality of motors so as to achieve the predetermined trajectory.

[0053] To operate the front mechanism 63 and the rear mechanism 64, in the illustrated embodiment, a drive cable can be connected between a motor and a sliding element, wherein the sliding element is arranged in the guide rail 61 and is arranged to slide through the guide rail 61 when the motor pulls or pushes the drive cable. Such drive assemblies are well known in the art and are therefore not shown in detail here. Moreover, the present invention is not limited in any way to such drive assemblies. Any other drive assembly that appropriately achieves the operation of the front mechanism 63 and the rear mechanism 64 may also be used within the scope of the present invention.

[0054] Obviously, in Figure 2A , the closure member 2 is in the closed position. Figure 2B shows the first stage of the opening process. Figure 2B , the locking mechanism 65 has been moved towards the rear mechanism 64, thereby operating the rear mechanism 64. In this stage of operation, the rear mechanism 64 has moved the mounting element 62 in a direction A that is substantially parallel to a substantially vertical direction V that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. In order to enable the movement of the rear end RE, the front end FE can be moved by the front mechanism 63, but this is not necessary.

[0055] It should be noted that the use of the term "vertical direction" should not be construed as limiting, but is merely indicative of a direction perpendicular to the plane of the roof, which is typically oriented in a generally horizontal plane. Thus, "vertical direction" is intended to refer to a direction that is generally perpendicular to the plane in which the open roof assembly is oriented when in the closed position.

[0056] Figure 2C Another stage of the opening process is shown, in which the locking mechanism 65 has moved further rearward and reached its end position, where it is locked, as is known in the art. With the locking mechanism 65 locked in its position, the rear mechanism 64 is locked in its position and orientation. Simultaneously, the front mechanism 63 has been lifted in a direction B that is substantially parallel to the substantially vertical direction V and has moved rearward in a direction C that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction L. The mounting element 62 has moved rearward together with the front mechanism 63. The mounting element 62 is slidably supported by the rear mechanism 64 so that, when moving rearward together with the front mechanism 63, the mounting element 62 slides along the rear mechanism 64.

[0057] exist Figure 2D 6. The fully opened position of the closure member is shown in FIG. The front mechanism 63 has moved further backward, thereby sliding the closure member 2 backward. Yet the locking mechanism 65 remains in its locked position.

[0058] It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the closing process follows the same stages as illustrated and described, but in the reverse order.

[0059] Figures 3A-3C A cross section is shown along a width direction W, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the vertical direction V. The closure member 2 is mounted to a mounting element 62. The mounting element 62 is coupled to a front or rear mechanism 63, 64 supported by the guide rail 61 . Figure 3A The intended configuration and orientation is shown wherein the vertical walls of the guide rail 61 extend in a vertical direction V. It should be noted that the intended orientation of the guide rail 61 may be any other orientation without departing from the scope of the present invention and the present invention does not require that any wall of the guide rail 61 extend in a vertical direction.

[0060] Figure 3B One of the guide rails 61 is shown rotated about the longitudinal direction L so that the vertical wall is in an inclined orientation. Such rotation of the guide rail 61 often occurs and may be up to about 3 degrees, for example due to manufacturing tolerances, but it may be even greater depending on the situation.

[0061] The closure member 2 and the mounting element 62 are held in their predetermined orientation because the closure member 2 is prevented from rotating due to its coupling to the other of the guide rails 61 ( Figure 3A The front or rear mechanism 63, 64 is coupled between the mounting element 62 and the guide rail 61, and in the prior art, deformation is required to accommodate the orientation difference between the guide rail 61 and the mounting element 62. Any such deformation in the mechanism results in heavy operation and may even hinder the movement of any component of the mechanism. Furthermore, due to, for example, friction between the mechanism components will generate noise, said friction may further cause excessive wear of such components.

[0062] The invention proposes to provide a flexible portion in the mechanical coupling between the guide rail 61 and the closing member 2 so that the mechanism does not need to absorb all orientation differences, although deformation cannot be completely prevented as explained below.

[0063] In the present invention, Figure 3C As shown in , a predetermined front flexible portion 627 is provided between the front mechanism 63 and the mounting element 62 so that the mounting element 62 follows the orientation of the closure member 2, while the mechanism 63 can follow the orientation of the guide rail 61. The front mechanism 63 cooperates with the guide rail 61; typically, the front mechanism 63 has a component that slides through a guide channel in the guide rail 61. Therefore, it may be preferable to make the mechanism follow the orientation of the guide rail 61. However, it is expected that the connection between the guide rail 61 and the front mechanism 63 can also be provided with a flexible portion to reduce deformation of the mechanism 63. Further, a predetermined flexible portion is preferably provided at the rear mechanism 64 to separate the orientation difference between the guide rail 61 and the closure member 2 from the rear mechanism 64. In practice, the front flexible portion 627, the rear flexible portion, or both can be provided to reduce stress and deformation in the respective mechanisms.

[0064] Figure 4A A specific embodiment of the front mechanism 63 is shown. The front mechanism 63 includes a front hinge 631, a front bar 632, a sliding shoe 633, and a guide bend 634. The sliding shoe 633 is movable within a first guide channel 611 provided in the guide rail 61, which is shown in dashed lines. The mounting element 62 is coupled to the front bar 632 at the front hinge 631. The mounting element 62 further includes a mounting hole 621. The bracket 22 is coupled to the mounting hole 621. The bracket 22 is attached to the closure member panel 21. The closure member panel 21 and the bracket 22 together form the closure member 2.

[0065] The guide rail 61 further slidably supports a sliding element 67 provided with an operating pin 672. The operating pin 672 is constructed and arranged to cooperate with the guide curve 634 to move the front rod 632 and thereby the sliding shoe 633 through the first guide channel 611.

[0066] Figure 4B The mounting element 62 is shown separately. The mounting element 62 includes a through hole for the front hinge 631. Figure 6A shown in and relative to Figure 6A The through hole is described in more detail. A through hole for the front hinge 631 is provided in the coupling portion 626. The front flexible portion 627 is provided between the dashed lines AA and BB. A panel mounting portion 628 is provided outside the dashed line BB. The mounting hole 621 is provided in the panel mounting portion 628.

[0067] The panel mounting portion 628 is provided with a flange 6281 for increasing the rigidity of the panel mounting portion 628, particularly in the width direction W, compared to the front flexible portion 627. Aside from the flange 6281, the mounting element 62 is a plate-like element and extends along a front main direction along line CC, which extends from the coupling portion 626 through the front flexible portion 627 to the panel mounting portion 628. The front flexible portion 627 is designed to reduce the rotational rigidity of the mounting element 62 compared to the rotational rigidity of the panel mounting portion 628 in the installed state and the rotational rigidity of the coupling portion 626 held by the front hinge 631 of the front mechanism 63. Furthermore, the rigidity in the width direction is designed to be reduced compared to the rigidity of the coupling portion 626 and the panel mounting portion 628 in the installed state.

[0068] The stiffness can be designed by increasing the stiffness of the coupling portion 626, the panel mounting portion 628, or both, or by reducing the stiffness of the flexible portion 627. In the illustrated embodiment, as described above, a flange 6281 is provided. Alternatively or additionally, a thinning, groove, or through-hole can be provided in the flexible portion 627 to reduce stiffness. Furthermore, if it is preferred to increase the stiffness of the panel mounting portion 628 or the coupling portion 626, the thickness of the elongated mounting element 62 can be increased, and the stiffness of the flexible portion 627 can be maintained, for example, by providing additional stiffness-reducing features (such as thinning, grooves, or through-holes).

[0069] Due to the difference in stiffness, the force generated by the rotation of the front mechanism 63 due to the rotation of the guide rail 61 will primarily deform the front flexible portion 627, thereby reducing the deformation of the front mechanism 63. Since the stiffness of the front mechanism 63 cannot become infinite and the stiffness of the front flexible portion 627 cannot become zero, some deformation will still occur in the front mechanism 63, but it will be significantly less than in the prior art where no flexible portion is provided.

[0070] It should be noted that the stiffness of the panel mounting portion 628 may be relatively low when not mounted. Once coupled to the bracket 22, the stiffness of the panel mounting portion 628 can be significantly increased. Therefore, it is not possible to define any specific stiffness ratio between the front flexible portion 627 and the panel mounting portion 628. This also applies, mutatis mutandis, to the coupling portion 626, which is retained by the front hinge 631 in the mounted state. Moreover, the stiffness of the coupling portion 626 will be primarily determined by the stiffness of the front hinge 631, rather than by the stiffness of the material of the coupling portion 626 itself.

[0071] Figure 5A A specific embodiment of the rear mechanism 64 is shown. The rear mechanism 64 includes a first rear rod 641 and a second rear rod 642. The first and second rear rods 641, 642 are coupled at a rear hinge 643. The first rear rod 641 is coupled at a first end to an elongated coupling element 66, which is coupleable to a sliding element 67 ( Figure 4A ) for operating the rear mechanism 64. At the second end, the first rear lever 641 is coupled to a sliding pad 644 via a support hinge 645. The second rear lever 642 includes a first protruding pin 6421 and a second protruding pin 6422 that are movable through respective first and second bends 612, 613.

[0072] The mounting element 62 is slidably supported by the sliding pad 644. The mounting element 62 includes second and third mounting holes 622, 623 for coupling to the bracket 22 and the closure member panel 21, respectively.

[0073] Figure 5B The mounting element 62, the first rear bar 641, and the second rear bar 642 are shown separately. The rear mechanism 64 is shown in a tilted position, in which the closure member 2 is raised at its rear end RE. In the tilted position of the open roof assembly, the second rear bar 642 is arranged in a vertical orientation, that is, an imaginary line passing through the rear hinge 643 and the first and second pins 6421, 6422 is substantially parallel to the vertical direction. The first rear bar 641 is hingedly connected to the second rear bar 642 at the rear hinge 643. Therefore, the portion of the first rear bar 641 between the dashed lines DD and EE forms a rear coupling portion 6411. The portion of the first rear bar 641 between the dashed lines EE and FF forms a rear flexible portion 6412, enabling the support hinge 645 and the sliding pad 644 to rotate and translate with the panel mounting portion 628 of the mounting element 62.

[0074] It should be noted that when the closure member 2 slides from the tilted position to the open position, the panel mounting portion 628 slides over the sliding pad 644. Therefore, the rear flexible portion 6412 is provided between the sliding pad 644 and the rear hinge 643, rather than being provided in the mounting element 62 (see the front flexible portion 627).

[0075] The rear flexible portion 6412 extends along the rear main direction along line GG, which extends from the rear coupling portion 6411 at the sliding pad 644 to the panel mounting portion 628. The rear flexible portion 6412 is designed to provide sufficient support for the closure member 2 in the vertical direction, while providing sufficient flexibility in the width direction and having a relatively low rotational stiffness around the rear main direction GG. In the illustrated embodiment, this is achieved by selecting a plate-like element with a relatively large vertical dimension (i.e., in the vertical direction), which is approximately perpendicular to the rear main direction GG. Along the width direction, the first rear bar 641 can be designed to have a predetermined thickness and material selection at the rear flexible portion 6412 to provide the desired stiffness at least partially. If necessary, other parts of the first rear bar 641 can be provided with additional reinforcement features, such as flanges, thickness, and the like, to provide higher stiffness.

[0076] As mentioned above, the present invention is based on the concept of designing a suitable stiffness ratio between one or both of the various mechanisms and the corresponding one or two flexible parts. The stiffness ratio essentially determines the deformation ratio in the corresponding components. Therefore, the present invention is not only concerned with defining a suitable stiffness in the flexible parts, but also with defining a suitable stiffness of the mechanisms. In the case of Figure 5A and 5B In the embodiment of the rear mechanism 64 shown in FIG, the rigidity of the rear mechanism 64 is determined in particular by the parallel configuration of the first rear rod 641 as the first mechanical coupling and the second rear rod 642 as the second mechanical coupling, between the guide rail and the rear hinge 643. The triangular configuration increases the overall rigidity of the rear mechanism 64.

[0077] Figure 6A Shown in a three-dimensional diagram Figure 4A and 4BThe front mechanism 63 is shown, in which the end portion of the front rod 632 may include a first sliding shoe 6331 and a second sliding shoe 6332. The two sliding shoes are attached to a U-shaped portion. The U-shaped portion includes a first leg 6321, a second leg 6322, and a base 6323 therebetween. The first sliding shoe 6331 is coupled to the first leg 6321, and the second sliding shoe is coupled to the second leg 6322. A first hinge hole 6324 is provided in the first leg 6321, and a second hinge hole 6325 is provided in the second leg 6322. A hinge shaft 6326 is arranged through the first hinge hole 6324, the front coupling portion 626, and the second hinge hole 6325 to form the front hinge 631. Thus, the front hinge 631 is coupled to the guide rail 61 via the first leg 6321 and the first sliding shoe 6331, and via the second leg 6322 and the second sliding shoe 6332, thereby forming a parallel structure. It should be noted that the first sliding shoe 6331 can be arranged in the first guide channel of the guide rail, for example, in the guide channel 611 ( Figure 4A ), and the second sliding shoe 6332 can be arranged in the second guide channel. Moreover, the first guide channel can be arranged in the first wall of the guide rail, and the second guide channel can be arranged in the second wall of the guide rail, wherein the first wall and the second wall are arranged opposite to each other.

[0078] Figure 6B The effects of the present invention are shown. Figure 6B This is the result of a computer-aided engineering process, in which a computer model of the support assembly is provided, and the guide rail 61 has been rotated three degrees about the longitudinal direction. The rotational orientation of each component of the illustrated assembly is determined. Reference numerals R1-R9 are provided to indicate the rotation of the indicated component. Each reference numeral R1-R9 represents a range. The rotation of the referenced component is within the following range:

[0079] Minimum rotation Maximum rotation <![CDATA[R9]]> 0.00° -0.35° <![CDATA[R8]]> -0.35° -0.71° <![CDATA[R7]]> -0.71° -1.07° <![CDATA[R6]]> -1.07° -1.42° <![CDATA[R5]]> -1.42° -1.78° <![CDATA[R4]]> -1.78° -2.14° <![CDATA[R3]]> -2.14° -2.50° <![CDATA[R2]]> -2.50° -2.85° <![CDATA[R1]]> -2.85° -3.21°

[0080] Therefore, the guide rail 61 is denoted by reference numeral R1, which indicates that the guide rail rotates within a range of approximately -2.85° to approximately -3.21° about the longitudinal direction. Near the front hinge 631, the front bar rotates within an angle within a range of approximately -2.50° to approximately -2.85° (R2). On the other hand, the bracket 22 rotates less than approximately 0.35° (R9), and the panel mounting portion 628 is denoted by R7, which corresponds to a rotation within a range of approximately -0.71° to approximately -1.07°.

[0081] In the flexible portion 627, the rotation is indicated as changing from R3 to R6. Thus, the front flexible portion 627 is deformed to couple the hinge axis 6326, which rotates at least -2.50°, to the panel mounting portion 628, which rotates at most 1.07°, thereby bridging at least 1.43° and up to 2.14° of rotation, i.e., approximately 50% of the total rotation difference between the guide rail 61 and the closure member 2. More importantly, the rotation in the front mechanism 63 is limited to approximately 0.35° (maximum approximately 0.71°), thereby preventing excessive deformation of the front mechanism and the corresponding heavy operation and noise. Considering that the slidable connection at the sliding pad 644 can absorb a relatively large portion of the rotation difference, but still reduce deformation in the rear mechanism, this is also applicable to the rear mechanism.

[0082] Figure 7 A graph showing a simulation of a collision is shown. The graph shows time in milliseconds on the horizontal axis and gravity units G on the vertical axis (1 G corresponds to approximately 9.81 m / s 2 The acceleration is represented by the acceleration due to Earth's gravity (the acceleration due to Earth's gravity). It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that acceleration generates inertial forces. Simulations were performed on a computer model of the support mechanism: at a first time, A, for a support mechanism without a flexible portion, and at a second time, B, for a support mechanism of the present invention with a front flexible portion.

[0083] At time 0ms, the simulation shows that the vehicle collision begins and the acceleration (deceleration) begins to increase, and at about 5ms the acceleration reaches a value of 25G. At this point, the vehicle's impact buffer keeps the acceleration constant. After about 25ms, the impact buffer is fully utilized, and the acceleration increases again and increases to a value of about 50G after about 30ms. After about 50ms, the vehicle's acceleration begins to decrease and becomes zero after about 70ms. It should be noted that this simulation represents a real collision, but in practice, different vehicles will have different performances depending on the situation. For example, speed, direction, the object that the vehicle collides with, and other aspects will affect the actual collision curve of acceleration.

[0084] In the first simulation, A, due to the absence of a flexible portion, a first crack was observed in one of the mechanical components after approximately 38 ms, at an acceleration of 50 G, while the other component actually fractured after approximately 40 ms. In the second simulation, B, with an appropriately designed front flexible portion, the front flexible portion began to plastically deform after approximately 14 ms, at an acceleration of 25 G in the crumple zone, absorbing a significant amount of energy. Consequently, the other mechanical component did not crack or fracture, even during the 50 G acceleration period. Therefore, flexible portions, particularly the front flexible portion, can be designed to deform at an acceleration corresponding to the acceleration experienced by the crumple zone during a collision. The actual value of this acceleration may depend on the actual vehicle and its characteristics. Those skilled in the art are expected to be able to determine the appropriate stiffness for a particular vehicle's characteristics.

[0085] Specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and that the present invention can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims, and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various ways with any appropriate specific structure contemplated. In particular, features set forth and described in separate dependent claims may be applied in combination, and any advantageous combination of such claims is therefore disclosed.

[0086] Furthermore, it is contemplated that structural elements can be generated by applying three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Thus, any reference to a structural element is intended to encompass any computer-executable instructions that instruct a computer to generate such a structural element using three-dimensional printing technology or similar computer-controlled manufacturing technology. Furthermore, any such reference to a structural element is also intended to encompass a computer-readable medium carrying such computer-executable instructions.

[0087] Further, the terms and phrases used in this article are not restrictive, but rather provide an understandable description of the present invention. When used in this article, the term "a" is defined as one or more than one. When used in this article, the term "a" is defined as two or more than two. When used in this article, the term "another" is defined as at least a second or more. When used in this article, the terms "comprising" and / or "having" are defined as including (i.e., open language). When used in this article, the term "connection" is defined as connecting, but not necessarily directly connecting.

[0088] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A support mechanism for an open roof assembly for use in a vehicle roof, the vehicle roof extending in a roof plane, the roof plane extending in a longitudinal direction and in a width direction, the width direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the open roof assembly includes a movable panel for closing an opening in the vehicle roof, the support mechanism comprising: a) Panel support assembly, including: i. Panel installation part; ii. a front support portion fixedly coupled to the panel mounting portion, the front support portion including a front coupling portion; and iii. a rear support portion slidably coupled to the panel mounting portion, the rear support portion including a rear coupling portion; b) Boot components, including: i. an elongated guide rail extending along the longitudinal direction; ii. a front mechanism slidably disposed in the guide rail and comprising a front hinge, the front coupling portion being coupled to the front hinge; iii. a rear mechanism disposed in the guide rail and comprising a rear hinge, the rear coupling portion being coupled to the rear hinge; wherein said front mechanism and said rear mechanism are provided with means for providing relatively high mechanism rigidity; wherein the panel support assembly comprises at least one flexible portion selected from a front flexible portion and a rear flexible portion, wherein the front flexible portion is included in the front support portion and extends along a front main direction, the front main direction extending from the front coupling portion to the panel mounting portion; wherein the rear flexible portion is included in the rear support portion and extends in a rear main direction, the rear main direction extending from the rear coupling portion to the panel mounting portion; and The flexible portion has a relatively low bending stiffness along the width direction and a relatively low rotational stiffness along the corresponding main direction, so that an orientation deviation between the panel support assembly and the guide assembly causes a rotational deformation in at least one of the corresponding flexible portions that is greater than the rotational deformation in the corresponding mechanism.

2. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The front mechanism includes a first sliding shoe and a second sliding shoe, and the guide rail includes a first guide channel and a second guide channel, the second guide channel being opposite to the first guide channel, and The first sliding shoe is slidably arranged in the first guide channel and the second sliding shoe is slidably arranged in the second guide channel.

3. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The front hinge comprises a U-shaped portion including a base and two legs extending from the base, wherein the two legs support an axle, and The front coupling portion includes a through hole, the front coupling portion is at least partially arranged between the two legs, and the shaft is arranged through the through hole for hingedly supporting the panel supporting assembly.

4. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The panel mounting portion, the front flexible portion and the front connecting portion are formed by a single element, which includes a plate-like base component extending substantially perpendicular to the roof plane, wherein the panel mounting portion includes a device for increasing bending stiffness along the width direction, and wherein the front flexible portion does not have a device for increasing bending stiffness along the width direction.

5. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The rear mechanism includes a first curved track and a second curved track and a first rod including a first pin and a second pin, wherein the first pin is arranged in and guided through the first curved track, and the second pin is arranged in and guided through the second curved track, and The first curved track and the second curved track are spaced apart along a direction perpendicular to the roof plane.

6. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The guide rail includes two generally parallel walls extending generally perpendicular to the roof plane, and wherein the rear mechanism is coupled to only one of the two generally parallel walls.

7. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The front flexible portion is formed into an elongate member, and wherein the front flexible portion comprises a thinned portion of the elongate member.

8. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The front flexible portion is formed into an elongated member, and wherein the front flexible portion includes a through hole through the elongated member.

9. The support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The front mechanism comprises a parallel formation extending between the front hinge and the guide rail, the parallel formation comprising at least two mechanical couplings between the front hinge and the guide rail, and Wherein the front flexible portion includes a single mechanical coupling portion providing a single mechanical coupling between the panel mounting portion and the front hinge.

10. The support mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first mechanical coupling comprises a first sliding shoe and the second mechanical coupling comprises a second sliding shoe, and wherein the guide rail comprises a first guide channel and a second guide channel, the first sliding shoe being movably arranged in the first guide channel and the second sliding shoe being arranged in the second guide channel.

11. The support mechanism according to claim 10, wherein: The first guide channel is arranged in a first wall of the guide rail and the second guide channel is arranged in a second wall of the guide rail, the second wall being opposite to the first wall.

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